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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29963688">I'd Be the Talk of the Town (But I Already Am, Please Help)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowflight/pseuds/snowflight'>snowflight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Yun/Elias Series (name to be changed) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Other Side (Short Film - emilyamiao)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Friendship... ish, Humor, Lowkey Crack, M/M, Somebody please save Elias, Yun discovers AO3, it's more likely than you think, that's it. that's the fic, the two of them turning their ship into a competition for NO reason?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 02:16:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,723</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29963688</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowflight/pseuds/snowflight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Did you know that people apparently ship us?”</p><p>No, Elias did not know that. </p><p>And he really did not need to know that, either.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Elias Everstied &amp; Yun, Elias Everstied/Yun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Yun/Elias Series (name to be changed) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'd Be the Talk of the Town (But I Already Am, Please Help)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was supposed to be a productive morning. Well, it <em>had</em> been. For the most part, at least, because Elias and Yun actually did manage to get through the first few hours of their day mapping out and discussing battle plans without too much of a hitch. And Elias had to say, as the strategizing with Yun went on, he became increasingly... not exactly impressed, but maybe pleasantly surprised, by his newfound ally. Because unexpectedly enough, it turns out that when it comes down to actual business, behind Yun’s flippant smile and brash words actually seem to lie a determination and a drive that Elias could only describe as earnest. Research, planning, negotiations, information—Yun seems to have nearly every aspect of their operation covered, and Elias has come to learn that Yun must spend countless hours behind the scenes tirelessly working to stay on top of everything.</p><p>And another thing that Elias has come to learn is to never let himself hold Yun in any sort of esteem ever again.</p><p>Because right when they’re finally about to wrap up their discussion, right when Elias is about to end his morning with both quiet satisfaction at the progress and something that nearly feels like what could be respect for his recently-made ally, this recently-made ally then decides to, out of nowhere, say—</p><p>“Did you know that people apparently ship us?”</p><p>And Elias promptly chokes on thin air.</p><p>As he violently coughs several times to regain his respiratory function, he wonders if this counts as a near-death experience. It certainly felt like one. A few seconds later, when he finally recovers from both the physical and psychological impact of what he just heard, he opens his mouth.</p><p>“<em>What</em>.”</p><p>Yun simply smiles and pulls something out of his pocket. It takes a few seconds for Elias to realize that it’s the strange device they found discarded on the outskirts of a battlefield a week ago. He’s still not too sure <em>what</em> it is, besides the fact that it appears to be some sort of communication device in the shape of a glass panel. Neither of them could recognize it, so they decided to pick it up in case it was some new kind of equipment being developed by the ADP.</p><p>“Okay,” Yun says, “so while I was studying this thing, I found something pretty interesting.” He presses a button along the edge of the device, causing its surface to light up.</p><p>As Elias watches Yun then proceed to swipe his finger across the glass, he becomes aware of the struggle rising inside him. On one hand, he has to admit that he’s curious about this device and what Yun could’ve discovered from his research of it. But at the same time... if “<em>People ship us!</em>” is the results of said research, then he’d probably be more sane not knowing whatever the hell was unearthed from there.</p><p>“So touching this takes me to this thing called... Archive of Our Own,” Yun says, tapping the screen. “An archive of some sort, I suppose. But anyways, if I do this and go down through these texts... Look, you can see our names!”</p><p>"Huh?" Elias leans over the table to seize the device from Yun’s hands before falling back into his chair. As he scans the words words on the screen, the unfamiliar light and colours are a bit jarring to his eyes, but he knows that he isn’t mistaken when they land upon the words—</p><p>
  <em>Relationships: Elias Everstied/Yun</em>
</p><p>Elias knows he isn’t mistaken. But he really, really wishes he was.</p><p>A few seconds later, he feels a light poke on his shoulder.</p><p>“You done with that?” Yun says. He seems to have walked around the table to Elias's side.</p><p>Elias doesn’t respond.</p><p>Another poke.</p><p>“Give me back the device at least.”</p><p>Poke.</p><p>“Or are you in too much shock to move?”</p><p>Finally, Elias hands the device back to Yun. “This isn’t shock,” he says through the shock of the ungodly words he was just forced to read with his own two eyes. </p><p><em>Random people, </em> his mind is whispering to him at the same time. <em>Random people whom I don’t know, who, for some reason, are writing texts about me being in—who apparently</em> want <em>me to be in—a relationship with—  </em></p><p>Elias glances at Yun, and in this moment, he’s certain that the only reason why he doesn’t instantly cringe to death is the fact that he’s not going to let <em>Yun </em>of all things be the cause of his demise.</p><p>The potential cause of Elias’s demise in question simply tilts his head with a smile. “I don’t know, Elias. If you ask me, you look pretty shocked.”</p><p>“It’s not shock,” Elias says again. “Not anymore, at least.”</p><p>“Then what is it now?”</p><p>“Denial.”</p><p>
  <em>Absolute, utter denial.  </em>
</p><p>In response, Yun lets out a laugh that sounds far too amused for this situation.</p><p>Elias thinks he’s beginning to understand why denial is the first stage of grief.</p><p>“Is this it?” he mutters. “Because if that’s all you’re going to tell me after a week of studying that thing, I’m leaving.”</p><p>“Oh, no, not yet,” Yun says, his tone deliberately pleasant, although Elias can still hear the amusement in it. “There are actually two more things about this thing that I wanted to tell you.”</p><p>“They’d really better be worth my time.” <em>And sanity. </em></p><p>“You can be rest assured they will be.” Yun holds up the device and begins tampering with it again. “So firstly, I decided to look into the origin of these texts, because they really piqued my interest. Why would people be writing about us?”</p><p>
  <em>That’s what I want to know.  </em>
</p><p>“Okay?” Elias says.</p><p>“And what I noticed is that the publish dates of these documents seem to be from the future.” Yun points to a part of the screen. The date above his finger reads <em> March 10th, 2021. </em></p><p>Elias pauses, his annoyance getting replaced by intrigue ever so slightly. “Wait, that’s almost a century into the future.”</p><p>“Exactly. But if we assume that this device came from the future somehow, then that would explain its unfamiliar shape and design.”</p><p>“That doesn't explain why people would be writing about us though.”</p><p>“But we <em>do </em> know that our names will be known. If this thing really is from the future, then we’re going to leave a mark on history.” Yun’s smile gains an eager edge. “And from the fact that this level of literary freedom exists in the future, I'm guessing that it has something to do with our oppressive government going down.”</p><p>Elias takes a moment to ponder that thought. “Sure,” he finally says. “But it’s not like you to be so idealistic over something so... uncertain.” Elias’s own words startle him for a moment, because he isn’t sure <em>when </em>he’s known Yun well enough to be able to say something like that, and he isn’t sure how he feels about this admittance, either. </p><p>But fortunately, Yun either doesn’t notice, or doesn’t care, as he simply shrugs in response. “I know,” he says. “I’m not putting any bets on this idea. Just a fun little thought.” He returns to the device, sliding his finger across the screen. “Besides, that’s not all I wanted to say.”</p><p>“Right,” Elias says. “You had a second thing. What is it?”</p><p>The smile returns to Yun’s face. “So, I noticed how this archive also seems to have a labelling system where documents have keywords called tags. It’s pretty well-designed, to be honest. It’s making sorting through all of the texts a lot easier.”</p><p>“Okay, that’s... nice, I guess.”</p><p>Yun flashes him a grin and holds up the device. “And I’m going to share these tags.”</p><p>For some reason, those words immediately summon a burst of urgent alarm inside Elias, and out of an otherworldly survival instinct he didn’t even know he had, he opens his mouth to protest—but it’s too late.</p><p>“<em>Enemies to friends to lovers</em>,” Yun reads from the screen.</p><p>“What the fu—”</p><p>“<em>Eventual romance</em>.”</p><p>“Don’t—”</p><p>“<em>Pining</em>.”</p><p>“I didn’t—” </p><p>“<em>Intimacy</em>.”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“<em>Elias is so done</em>.”</p><p>“N—actually, never mind, that’s accurate.”</p><p>“<em>Romantic tension</em>.”</p><p>“And that’s not.”</p><p>“<em>Sexual tension</em>.”</p><p>“That’s even worse.”</p><p>“<em>Smut</em>.”</p><p>Elias stands up from the table. “Goodbye.”</p><p>“Hey, the smut has a question mark at the end, so it might just be meant to mislead the reader!”</p><p>Elias ignores Yun’s protests as he stalks towards the door. “You already misled me by making me think you had something <em>actually worthwhile </em>to discuss with me about this.”</p><p>“Want to hear our ship name at least?”</p><p>“I don’t want to hear another unholy word come out of your mouth.”</p><p>“Yunlias.”</p><p>“I’m not—” Elias pauses right in the middle of opening the door. “Wait.” And then, against his better judgement (actually, against every single iota of judgement contained in his entire existence), he turns around to face Yun. </p><p>“Why do you get your full name?” he says.</p><p>“Pardon?”</p><p>“Yunlias.” Elias already knows he’s going to regret starting this conversation, but he’s not able to ignore the indignance that jumps inside him. “You get your entire name in there, while I only get the last two syllables of mine.”</p><p>At that, realization fills Yun’s face. Then it’s followed by a laugh, so sudden and vigorous that he raises a hand up to his mouth. </p><p>“<em>That’s </em> what you complain about?” he says between laughs. “Damn, I didn’t know you wanted to be part of the ship so much.”</p><p><em>Ah. There it is. </em> Now Elias can clearly feel the regret at starting this conversation bubble up inside him. </p><p>“I really don’t,” he mutters. Part of him is debating just dropping the topic and leaving right now. But this is a conversation he started, and it’s not one that he’s planning to run away from. “But if you get your full name, I deserve to have mine, too.”</p><p>Yun drops his hand, now calm, although the amusement is still very vivid in his expression. “Are you sure you’re more deserving of it than I am, though?”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Since I <em>am </em>the one who’s getting the short end of the stick in this pairing.”</p><p>“You—” Elias has to do a double-take at the sudden boldness of those words. “You’re getting the short end of the stick,” he echoes. “<em>You.</em>”</p><p>Smile now more of a smirk than anything, Yun cocks his head to the side, the motion of it taunting. “I mean, I really could do way better than you. I’m honestly not sure how in the world I ended up stuck with you of all people. I must’ve been pretty desperate.”</p><p>“You say that like you aren’t desperate now,” Elias says, and even though he’s painfully aware of the fact that he’s now actively discussing this supposed ship between him and Yun, he tilts his own head in challenge. “Keeping me in that room for an hour, even locking the door? From the day we met, you were practically begging me to join you.”</p><p>“I’m not denying that. You make a wonderful political ally, absolutely.” Yun shrugs. “But there’s a difference between politics and personal life. You as a partner, on the other hand? I fail to see any redeeming qualities at all.”</p><p>“Likewise.”</p><p>Yun hums. “And yet according to these texts, people see a spark between us. Quite a mystery, I’d say.”</p><p>“Maybe they’re all fake.”</p><p>Yun grins. “Or maybe somewhere down the line, you really do end up falling head over heels—”</p><p>“No,” Elias says. “Concoct all the crazy theories you want, but if that’s the one you’re going with, I’m shutting it down right now.”</p><p>“Never discount a theory until it’s been disproven,” Yun says, with a hint of smugness. “Who’s to say you won’t hopelessly fall for me in the future?”</p><p>“I say that. And between the two of us, if someone was falling for the other, it’d be <em>you, </em>not me.”</p><p>Yun blinks at him, and then lets out a bark of laughter. “You certainly sound sure of yourself. Care to humor me?”</p><p>“Gladly.” Elias crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe. “If you haven’t noticed by now, I value my personal space and peace and quiet. But <em>you</em>—you’re brazen, obnoxious, and honestly, I’d rather never speak with you unless a situation absolutely called for it.”</p><p>“Ah, but here you are, speaking with me right now. Plus, you seemed quite content while discussing our battle plans this morning.”</p><p>“There’s a difference between politics and personal life.”</p><p>“Stealing my lines now, are we?”</p><p>“Just making nobody here is being a hypocrite about his principles.”</p><p>“Sure, sure, but your explanation is missing an entire part.” Yun raises an eyebrow. “Where’s your evidence to back up the claim that I’ll be falling for you?”</p><p>“No offense, but I don’t really want you to fall for me,” Elias says flatly. “So I didn’t think about that part too deeply. Nor do I want to.”</p><p>Yun claps his hands together with a pleasant smile. “You admit that it won’t be me then.”</p><p>“I didn’t admit anything.”</p><p>“You admitted enough for us to conclude that <em>you’ll </em>be the one falling.”</p><p>“No, you.”</p><p>There’s a moment as the two of them stare at each other from across the room, neither of them willing to break gazes with and yield to the other.</p><p>Then Yun shakes his head. “I suppose we’re at a stalemate.”</p><p>“This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done,” Elias mutters at the same time, turning back towards the door. “I’m leaving.”</p><p>“Wait,” Yun says, and Elias pauses to turn back to him. He’s holding up the device in his hand, his eyes gleaming. “Why don’t we check the documents?”</p><p>Elias hesitates.</p><p>“They’re written about us in the first place,” Yun says. “I’m sure they’ll have more than enough details for us to figure this whole thing out.”</p><p>The proposal surprises Elias, but part of him is already anticipating the satisfaction of proving Yun wrong, and so he sharply nods. “Fine.”</p><p>Yun smiles and turns back to the device. “Just don’t complain when you’re wrong...”</p><p>Then he pauses, his smile fading into a frown. He taps the screen a few times, his frown deepening, before shaking the entire thing altogether.</p><p>After a few seconds, he looks back up at Elias.</p><p>“I think, uh...” he says. “It ran out of battery.”</p><p>Now, Elias is never one to get overwhelmed by emotion, but as he watches Yun proceed to repeatedly click on the button to no avail, the feeling of relief that rushes into him is almost indescribable. Not because he’s afraid of being proven wrong, because he knows he isn’t—but because he’ll <em> finally </em>be able to escape from this horrendously absurd conversation.</p><p>Yun lets out a sigh. “I even did try to study this thing’s energy source over the past week... but I couldn’t seem to figure it out. Looks like we won’t be able to use this for the near future.”</p><p>“<em>Good</em>,” Elias says. “Serves you right for spending the last of its energy to freaking browse weird shipping documents.” He turns to the door and pushes it open. “And now I can finally save myself from this conversation.”</p><p>Yun’s voice calls out from behind. “But we do both agree that you’ll be the one falling first in our ship, right?”</p><p>Elias glances back at him. “The only ship I ever want to be on after this,” he says, “is the one that’ll take me to the opposite side of the world from you once this war is over.”</p><p>Then he slams the door close before Yun can respond, before he has to listen to one more word of this conversation, and before the last few of his surviving brain cells can get obliterated.</p><p>
  <em>So that was ten minutes of my life I’ll never get back. </em>
</p><p>As Elias makes his way down the hallway, he knows that he probably looks as unperturbed as always on the outside. But on the inside, he’s already begun mapping out the fastest route to the ADP headquarters.</p><p>If he draws enough attention to himself, hopefully he’ll get arrested on the spot.</p><p>Because even though it’s only been a few months since he joined Yun, in terms of retaining his sanity, he’ll truly have a much better shot back in that government prison cell.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm here to say that all of the tags that Yun read out are REAL tags from fics in this fandom. Some of them were from my own fics, but the others:<br/>- Enemies to friends to lovers, Eventual romance: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27266014/">Take Your Walls And Start 'em Breaking</a><br/>- Elias is so done: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27994077">oh, damn! suddenly you're free to fly</a><br/>- Smut?: <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28504200">so trade that typical for something colorful</a><br/>All of those fics listed above are by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/panacea2032">panacea2032</a>, whom I need to give a big thank-you to for making that scene in my fic possible by providing those tags (especially the smut one HAHA) So if you're reading this, thank you, I owe you one &lt;3</p><p>Also, this fic in general was inspired by that one doodle <a href="https://www.instagram.com/emilyamiao/">emilyamiao</a> posted on her Instagram story where Yun and Elias react to being shipped with each other (it's still on her OC highlights on her profile if you haven't seen it already ;)). Side note, I find it hilarious how the only canon line of dialogue we've witnessed from these characters so far, not counting Elias's silent stare of disgust, is Yun saying "HA! I could do way better than him" WHICH IS SO FUNNY AND ALSO PERFECT</p><p>Anyways, I honestly wasn't planning for this to be this long, but it was just so fun to write LOL and if you're here, I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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